


In the Rough

by EvieMcGarrett10



Category: Hit the Floor (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-06
Updated: 2016-03-06
Packaged: 2018-05-25 03:45:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6178966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvieMcGarrett10/pseuds/EvieMcGarrett10
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Feeling hopeless in the face of Zero's suffering was not something Jude liked to experience.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Rough

**Author's Note:**

> Hi All, 
> 
> This is my first fic for Hit the Floor! I only very recently got on the Zude train and let me tell you that I am completely obsessed now! Theirs is a relationship that I feel is very honest and pure and I tried to convey that here. Maybe it is a little OOC, but after what might be the most toughest times for Zude on Monday, Zero may not act like the confident man we know him to be when confronted with the past he has worked so hard to keep buried. 
> 
> I wanted to post this before Monday night and the big revelation. I didn't feel like this story needed to be changed, but maybe I'll write a different follow up later. 
> 
> Many thanks for reading!

Zero slept for most the day after his huge revelation. He was supposed to go to practice, but Jude had called Pete in the car to say that Zero wasn't feeling too hot and that he wanted to sleep it off so that he can be good to go for next week’s game. 

Other than that phone call, the car ride home had been eerily silent. So much so, that Jude began about ten different conversations in his head, but each and every one of them would get stuck in his throat before he had a chance to say them. He wanted to fill the silence with something, anything to get Zero to come back to him. The faraway stare he had while his head leaned on the passenger window was making Jude nervous, but after what had happened back at Zero's childhood home, Jude really couldn't think of a more appropriate reaction from his lover. 

When they stepped though the threshold to Jude's apartment, Zero made his way to the bedroom, taking his clothes off as he walked. Jude was about to ask what he was doing, but saw that Zero pulled out some of Jude's pajama bottoms as well as one of his t shirts and got himself under the covers. If he hadn’t known before, he sure as hell knew now that Zero was not okay because he never wore pajamas to bed. He was either naked or slept in his boxers.

Jude followed and sat next to him. 

“Zero?”

“I just need to sleep this all off, okay?” 

“Okay. I'll have dinner ready when you wake up.”

“Thanks.” 

Jude made his way out of the room and was about to close the door when Zero said, “Leave the door open. I. . . I need to know you're here.”

Jude approached the bed again. “I'm not going anywhere. Just sleep and I'll be here when you wake up.” Jude gave Zero a kiss on the forehead, giving him a small smile before he left. 

*****

Jude remained true to his word and never left the apartment. Instead of going out to get dinner, he ordered from one of Zero's favorite restaurants. While they really didn't do deliveries, Jude only had to mention his boyfriend's name and the owner rushed to get whatever one of his best customers needed. Jude really wasn't all that surprised that Zero got this much attention and really was grateful that the owner made an exception for him since Jude really did not want to go get the food himself and leave Zero alone right now. 

There were a few times when Jude heard Zero toss and turn as if in a grip of a nightmare but Jude was at his side and started whispering to him softly, making his lover visibly relax and go back to sleep. 

Feeling hopeless was not something Jude liked to feel. He had experience with it, far too much in fact, and while there were times when there really wasn't anything he could do about a certain situation, watching the love of his life reliving his tragic past had Jude having no idea what to say to make him feel better, making this his own personal type of hell. 

He was angry at what had happened to Zero, to Gideon, when he was young, but he also knew that it was in the past. Although, the past did have a nasty habit of making you suffer in the present and Zero knew this all too well. So much of who Zero was made sense now to Jude. While it answered many questions about his behavior, it also made Jude realize how much of a survivor Zero really was. 

Jude was in love with Zero, but now, knowing exactly where Zero had come from and what he had had to endure, Jude loved him even more if that were even possible. 

Having left dinner in the oven, Jude was laying next to Zero in bed. Zero was sleeping on his side and Jude had to smile at that. Zero needed comfort and though he did not ask for any physical comfort from Jude, it seemed like he wanted to be close to him in some form anyway while he dealt with his demons. 

“I love you Gideon.” 

“I love you too Jude,” Zero said as he turned over in bed. 

“I thought you were asleep.” 

“I woke up the minute you came in and laid down next to me. I just wanted to enjoy being close to you without getting hot and bothered and having my way with you.” 

“Nice to see that some of you humor is back. You had me worried there for a while.” 

“I’m sorry. Going back there. . . Had me feeling not like myself at all. It just threw me. I don't like being caught off guard and going back there brought up some bad memories that I had buried long ago.”

“I'm sorry too. I knew this would affect you, I just didn't know how much. You are strong Zero or else you would never have come this far.”

Zero looked at him. After a few beats, Zero gave him the smile only reserved for Jude. The smile that started slowly at the corner of his mouth. It was a smile that was equal parts surprised and intrigued. A smile that made Jude's heart melt and kick into overdrive. A smile that revealed way more to Jude about Zero’s ability to love than even Zero probably knew himself. It was a shy smile, but it made Jude come closer because while it was very hard to embarrass someone like Zero, when it came to something more, Zero was truly out of his element. Jude had no experience with relationships either, but he was willing to take the lead on this one. 

“How can it be possible to feel this way every time I look at you?”

“Feel like what?”

“Like looking at you is a huge revelation. Like I have been having all these unanswered questions that I never knew I had and that in your eyes, in your smile, you hold all the answers.” 

Jude had no idea what to say to that. 

“I love you. I love you like I have never loved anyone. I didn't know it was possible to care for someone else. To put someone else first.”

“I love you so much Gideon. Nothing that you ever say or do will change that. I loved you before I knew that I did and now that I do, being with you brings me the peace and acceptance that I have always wanted.”

Zero sighed and once again did something that was uncharacteristically like him. Did he even notice how I used his real name twice? 

“Hold me?”

“Always.” 

Zero laid his head on his Jude's chest and before he knew it, they were both fast asleep. 

*******

Jude woke with a start, but thankfully didn't wake Zero in the process. He looked at the bedside clock and saw that it was close to 9 pm. He had slept for three hours and what had woken him what the thought of that perfectly good steak currently sitting inside his oven. 

He carefully guided Zero onto his own pillow and got up to heat dinner. Jude hated to wake Zero from his slumber, but Zero had not eaten anything all day and he had to at least get him to eat something. 

Jude had already set the table when zero came in covering a huge yawn. 

“Something smells good.”

“Your favorite from that restaurant downtown. They were happy to oblige and deliver.”

“Geez, Jack sent all this for me?”

“I may have said that you were sick in bed and needed a pick me up and that the person taking care of him would need to be fed too or else risk an unfavorable shout out on instagram.”

Zero laughed in that carefree manner of his and it had Jude feeling all kinds of wonderful. 

“Take a seat. I'll get you your plate.” 

Zero sat down and watched as Jude set the most delicious steak he had ever seen in front of him. 

“Damn, I have this meal quite often and yet it looks especially mouth watering tonight.” 

“Maybe because you haven't eaten all day? You did only have that hideous smelling protein shake this morning before we headed off.” 

“Nah that ain't it. It’s something else. . .”

Jude smiled at how not offended Zero seemed that he had insulted his protein shake. Usually Jude had to suffer through some smart ass remark whenever he ruffled his feathers, but it may just have been that Zero had had a rough day. 

“It's you.”

“Me?” 

“You got this for me.”

“Yes I did. What does that have to do with anything?”

“You got this for me without me having to ask for it. You did this on your own because you wanted to without expecting anything from me. There is nothing in this for you except maybe making your boyfriend feel better after a shitty day.”

Jude knew that Zero was getting to something, but he' be damned if he interrupted him now. 

“No one has ever done something for me without expecting something in return. Every other time that I have enjoyed this steak I have felt obliged to post something on social media so the owner can get his restaurant more high-end customers. And you don't want anything from me because you already have me. All of me. Even the bad parts.”

Jude stared at him. 

“I. . .” 

“Let's dig in I'm starving.” 

And with that Zero grabbed his fork and proceeded to chow down every single bit of dinner on his plate. 

Jude grabbed his own fork and dug in as well. Life with Zero would surely never cease to be interesting. He was in love with a man as mercurial as anyone had a right to be, but the one consistency? That when Zero loved, he loved with all his heart and Jude felt beyond blessed that he was the recipient of that love. Not only did Jude have his love, but his trust as well. And just like love, trust was not something that Zero gave easily. 

“Is the food as good as it looks?”

“Better.” 

“Really?” 

“Yeah, but now I'm thinking it won't be as good as dessert.” 

“I didn't order dessert.” 

“I know because you know what I like.” 

“And what might that be?”

“You. In bed. Under me. Screaming my name.”

“Huh. Well, I guess there is only way to find out.” 

Jude got up and ran to the bedroom, the food all but forgotten. Zero ran after him laughing. 

And no matter how long Jude lived, he would never get tired of that sound.


End file.
